Your Mood Impacts your Driving Skills

There’s no question that our mood impacts what we do.  When you're stressed out, you may be quick to yell at your kids.  When you’re distracted you may be more likely to say “yes” to that sleepover than if you were truly listening when your child pitched the idea.  Just as our mood impacts how we behave or the choices that we make, it also impacts our driving.  Your stress or the fight with your wife comes with you behind the wheel.  Your mood affects your driving skills and can interfere with your ability to drive safely.  Your bad mood could cause a car accident.

Angry Driving is Dangerous Driving

Getting behind the wheel when you are angry or in a hurry can make you extremely distracted.  You may also be more aggressive and take risks on the road.  Angry or hurried drivers may find themselves:

• Following too close
• Making unsafe lane changes
• Hurrying to beat a light
• Cutting in and out of traffic
• Running red lights
• Passing on the right
• Ignoring warning signs or road hazards
• Pushing drivers out of the way
• Honking or making obscene gestures
• Speeding

Angry driving can be unsafe driving.  Hurried driving can be reckless driving.  So, what do you do if you have an aggressive driver on your tail?

• Give them some room
• Let them pass
• Refrain from engaging, however, tempting it may be

It has been found that aggressive driving played a role in 56% of fatal crashes from 2003 to 2007.  It’s best to let a hurried or aggressive driver go right on by.

Distracted Driving Causes Car Accidents

Let’s face it, anything that takes your eyes off the road is a distraction that can cause an accident.  Dealing with your crying baby in the back is a dangerous distracting.  Bending down to pick up your dropped phone is a hazard.  Although we don’t want to admit it, many of us are guilty of distracted driving.  Some of us may get distracted by sending text messages, checking Facebook or rear-ending police cars while taking selfies.

In 2013, it was found that 10% of fatal crashes, 18% of injury crashes and 16% of all reported car accidents were caused by distracted driving.  Distractions slow a driver’s reaction time.  Also, when your eyes aren’t on the road, you can’t see hazards such as pedestrians or debris on the road.  Over 8,000 distracted driving accidents occur daily across the nation.  Keep your eyes on the road!

3 Safety Tips for Preventing Car Accidents

Next time you are getting behind the wheel, remember these three tips:

• Check your attitude at the door.
• Stay alert and aware of road conditions.
• Follow the rules of the road – obey traffic signals and speed limits.
• Stay off your mobile phone and tablet device.
• Don’t text and drive.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a car wreck caused by an angry or distracted driver, contact Mynor E. Rodriguez for a free consultation today.